What happens when most of humanity is being drip-fed rations and spends most of their time in a world between reality and not?

Can anyone tell me why we’re carrying this alien shit around? … Why don’t we just sell him? Or eat him?

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Vurt is this alternate world. While most are content in Vurt’s safer realms Scribble and his gang of Stash Riders frequently dip into the harder rides.

Scrib has lost his sister in Vurt—in a world where you don’t come back—and he’s now intent on getting her back. As Scrib and his Stash Riders search for the right drug to get his sister back, he meets a litany of whacked characters and learns about himself.

Why is this on our bookshelf?

Vurt was purchased on the recommendation of a shelf-tag at Powell’s Books. I don’t remember exactly what it said, but since it was clearly science fiction I decided to pick it up.

Rating (3 stars)

Much of Sci-fi address the social issues common during it’s inception. By distancing the social issue from reality slightly, it’s easier to analyze and interact with. For example, recent science fiction has had global climate change as an underlying theme.

This is probably 3.5 stars, but since we don’t have half-star ratings, I’m going to round-down. I’m sure some folks will enjoy it, but it’s not for everyone.

Vurt—written in 1993—has teen drug abuse as an underlying theme. But that’s not to say it’s a bad read. It’s just a bit… surreal; like perhaps the reader has been smoking something funny.